


United by destiny (and the rebellion)

by enbylovesferengis (obviouslyelementary)



Series: The unwilling prince and the prophet's chosen [1]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Background Relationships, Damar is Alive, Developing Friendships, Family Feels, Fix-It, Friendship, Gen, Having Faith, Kira/Ezri if you squint real hard, Light Angst, Male-Female Friendship, Not Beta Read, Post-Canon Fix-It, Prophets, Religion, Sisko in is comma, Ziyal is alive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:28:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26818822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obviouslyelementary/pseuds/enbylovesferengis
Summary: A fix-it fanfic where Damar is alive, and he is the actual heir to the Cardassian throne.And his new relationship with Kira.
Relationships: Damar & Kira Nerys, Ezri Dax & Kira Nerys, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak (implied), Odo/Quark (Star Trek) (implied)
Series: The unwilling prince and the prophet's chosen [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959145
Kudos: 8





	United by destiny (and the rebellion)

**Author's Note:**

> Guys this is a self-love fanfic because Damar did not deserve to die at all in my eyes. So this is purely about his and Kira's friendship and relationship. It has almost no ships in it. Read at your own discretion.

Somehow, _somehow_ , they did it. Cardassia rose against the Dominion, they were destroyed, banished, Sisko was able to stop the pah-wraiths, and everything seemed to slowly calm down, with the many destroyed ships being rebuilt, with all the peoples, even those that had been at war with each other, doing all possible to help. Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, Bajorans, Ferengis, and Federation all united towards a common goal: to bring the Alpha Quadrant to its formal glory. Of course, after that, the wars would continue, the distrust would return. But for now, and for a few months that followed, they would have peace.

It had been two weeks since they had won, and they were all back on DS9. The federation had sent their best doctors to the station to treat the wounded, together with many Klingon, Romulan and Federation vessels from all sectors towards the front lines of the battle. Somehow, the DS9 crew was all safe, despite being extremely wounded, some mentally, some physically, and all emotionally. Kira, having returned from her mission with Garak and the rebels only to find her Emissary in the worst conditions possible, in coma at their sickbay, truly wasn't feeling exactly good. Odo as cured, and so would be the other changelings when he left, and the rest of her friends seemed fine besides their usual scars, but somehow she felt, well, bad. Bad, specifically, because for two weeks she had come to watch not only Captain Sisko in the infirmary, but the man that made the end of the war possible, Damar himself.

She had no idea how they managed to save his life. He was wounded, in coma for so long, with no treatment, and somehow he persevered. She and Garak brought him to DS9, expecting to simply give him a funeral and an honored burial, when Julian yelled at them to bring him to sickbay, and now, he laid next to their captain, recovering. It was a strange sensation, one she never thought she would feel. She didn't feel sorry for him, or pity, or none of the somewhat good feelings she might have felt for Dukat or other cardassians like Garak that she had encountered in the past. No, Damar gave her the same type of feelings that Ghemor had once brought her: pride, familiarity, compassion. It was so... strange to feel something like that towards someone who had hurt so many of her people, and yet, there she was, wondering if he would wake up, praying that he would open his eyes and see the wonders he had accomplished.

One thing was for sure, she was glad Julian had placed him and Sisko next to each other, because like this she could be close to her emissary, while watching the cardassian up close.

It was very likely that the captain would take weeks, maybe months to regain conscience. Maybe he never would. Everything with him was uncertain, due to his close connection to the Prophets. Maybe it was time for him to join them and he was simply stalling, or maybe they were getting to know him before he could return. So many possibilities beyond those two, and Kira couldn't even begin to imagine what he could be going through. She tried not to annoy anyone with her constant visits, specially Kasidy and Jake, but somehow she felt as if they didn't mind it at all. And, of course, it helped her feel more useful, since she didn't really have the patience at the moment to fulfill her duties as Coronel. She just wanted to pray for her Emissary, and make sure he would wake up.

For Damar, prognostics were a little uncertain. Like before, Julian didn't have much knowledge about cardassian physiology, but by Garak's exams and a little bit of help from the few cardassians on the station, he considered Damar was a few days from waking up. She hoped as much, in silence, because losing another good cardassian was too much for their quadrant. There were too little of them around.

So on that day, in the end of her prayers for Sisko, she stood up from the chair where she sat next to him, squeezed his hand and smiled, before turning to Damar in his still form. She took a step towards him, unsure, and then decided to do as her heart commanded, gently taking his hand on hers, the scaly, cold skin unfamiliar to her, and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and beginning to whisper a set of healing prayers, asking for the prophets to save his life, and allow him to go on, and forgive him for his past mistakes.

As she whispered, her heart and mind began to relax, and she smiled to herself, knowing it was the prophets' way of showing she was doing the right thing. With her soul content and calm, she prayed, for longer than she had previously anticipated, the prayers coming out of her mouth easily, with no guilt, no hesitation, no second thought. Perhaps the prophets had chosen him to be the leader of a new Cardassia. She knew from experience that the prophets could be very forgiving, as they were with her, and they would be with him too.

Almost an hour passed since she had began praying, but she did not notice. She prayed without consequence, and no one interrupted her. But by the end of the hour, she felt a shift on the hand she was holding, and with her head up to the ceiling she opened her eyes, wondering if her prayers had awoken Damar or at least made him show some sign of improvement. As she moved her head down, expecting a deep breath or another twitch of hand, she found instead his ice cold blue eyes staring back at her, awake, sleepy and calm, his face showing no sign of the usual cardassian malice. He was serene, s if he had just woken up from a restful sleep.

Her first instinct was to remove the hand, but she didn't, instead squeezing it gently.

"Hello" she said, slightly surprised, a kind smile on her face. He blinked, slowly, and licked his lips gently, and she knew they were cracked and probably very dry, so she reached for the water with her free hand. "Do you want some?"

The nod was almost imperceptible, but she saw it alright. Placing his hand back on the bed, she gently slid hers behind his head to give him some assistance, and placed the glass on his mouth, turning it slowly, allowing the water to flow down to his mouth. He opened it slightly, closing his eyes, licking his lips every now and then and drinking in small sips until the glass was empty. Kira placed it down, looking at him, and he laid his head back on the pillows, closing his eyes for another moment.

It was strange to see a cardassian so quiet, when they were naturally so talkative, but Damar had never been very cardassian when the subject was speech. He was never as deceptive and malicious as Dukat or even Garak. He always spoke his mind, was always loud and certain of himself. Something Kira quite liked about him, even while they disagreed. 

"Do you need anything else?" she asked, impulsively pulling the chair she had been sitting on closer and sitting down again, deciding against leaving now that Damar was awake. "I could call doctor Bashir if you wish."

"There is... no need..." Damar said, for the first time in days, clearly feeling slightly bothered by the sound of his voice. It was raspy, dry, hard to understand. Kira knew that was what coma did to someone. He looked at the ceiling for quite a while, before he turned his head to her again, breathing slowly and deeply. "You were... praying, weren't you?"

Kira looked at him slightly surprised, not much, before she nodded.

"Yes, I was" she answered, and he blinked while looking at her.

"Dukat... told me about... bajoran prayers once..." he explained, and she gave him a nod despite hating the fact that this knowledge came from Dukat of all people. "Cardassians don't really... believe in prayers... or requests for gods..."

"Did it bother you?" she asked, trying to be nice. She knew the lack of religion and faith that came with Cardassians. It seemed as if their people couldn’t believe even in a higher power above their own, as distrusting as they were. Even worst than Romulans in a way.

But unlike what she believed, Damar shook his head, a simple movement from side to side, and looked at her once again, his eyes still tired but looking more awake.

"No... if it had, I would have stopped you... long before my hand began to hurt."

"You were awake? For that long?" she asked, surprised now, truly, because she never expected that to be the case. She expected him to ask her to stop the moment he woke up, and now she found out he had been listening for quite some time. "Since when?"

"I am... uncertain. I fell asleep and awoke a few times..." he said, and closed his eyes once again, taking a deep breath that made him wince a little. "I did not pay attention to the words, or the sounds... but your voice was calming... relaxing... and I knew I did not want you to stop" he added, opening his eyes again, and Kira felt a sort of warmth she hadn't felt in a long time. Like before, something akin to what she felt about Ghemor. "It reminded me of my mother... who told me stories when I was but a hatchling... and had just woken up from a nightmare..."

"I understand" she whispered, taking his hand on hers again and squeezing it, knowing he probably wouldn't appreciate this sharing of information when he wasn't drugged and tired anymore. He looked at her, and she gave him another smile. "I will stay, if you want me to. I still know some prayers I can say to you."

"Teach me one..." Damar whispered, and her eyes widened slightly in surprise before she smiled. "A small one... one I can... remember."

"Very well... this one is a general prayer, to ask for protection" she said, and he looked at her, tired and determined. " _Jia'kaja"_

" _Jia'kaja_..." Damar repeated, and Kira smiled.

" _tre'nu'tol'a rem"_

_" tre'nu'tol'a rem"_

_" La'por i'lanu kos"_

_" La'por i'lanu kos..."_

" _I'nar tan'a'tali nor."_

_" I'nar tan'a'tali... nor"_

" _Jia'kaja, tre'nu'tol'a rem... La'por i'lanu kos... I'nar tan'a'tali nor_..." she said, and Damar closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

_"Jia'kaja, tre'nu'tol'a rem... La'por i'lanu kos... I'nar tan'a'tali nor..."_ he whispered, and Kira nodded, squeezing his hand.

"Yes. That's it" she said, and Damar looked at her again, his eyes peaceful and calm and perhaps sleepy again.

"Thank you, coronel..."

"Call me Kira" she said, and after a moment of hesitation, added "or Nerys, if you'd like."

\-------------------------------

Meeting Odo again after she returned from her mission had been less surprising than she believed it would be, mostly because she never lost faith that he would be fine when she returned. Kira had a fondness towards him that was unlike anything else, and yet, after so long together, she could feel that original spark settling down, the need to be around him more fraternal than romantic, and she wondered if indeed she had lost her feelings towards him in the process of the war, or if they were never real in the first place.

Saying any of that to him, right now, would be a cold move that she was not known for, so she would wait for when they were all settled. They weren't even together most of the time, with Odo planning to leave to the Link, while she took care of the little things she could in the station. Gladly, she still had many friends to confide on, one of them being Ezri, who somehow seemed to always be around when she needed.

After talking to Damar and praying for Sisko, Kira found herself tired but not enough to sleep, so she redirected herself to Quark's in an uncharacteristic move of her own, asking for some spring wine and sitting on the empty stool around. Of course, the bar was filled with people from all over the quadrant, and she did not like it, but she didn't feel like being alone at the moment and decided instead to go somewhere she could meet with friends.

And like previously mentioned, Ezri always seemed to be in the right place at the right time.

"A penny for your thoughts?" she asked as she sat down next to Kira, her kind blue eyes and typical smile bring an easiness to her heart, in a way that only Jadzia could before. However she did not remember what that phrase meant, so she just stared back at Dax with a puzzled expression. "Sorry, I... it means 'what are you thinking', it’s a human expression..."

"Right. I forgot. Again" Kira said, shaking her head and chuckling. "My thoughts... I have so many of them. Where to even start?"

"Wherever you want?" Ezri suggested, and Kira gave her the 'do not analyze me' look that made the trill chuckled nervously. "Sorry... just, I'm here to talk. To my friend. That's all."

"I know. And I came here to talk to a friend" she said, honestly, sipping on her wine as one of Quark's employees served Ezri. "It's just a mess inside, that's all. I have so many things to think about, I have to think about Bajor, I have to think about the wormhole, DS9, the Federation, the Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians... it's a lot. We are all a bit lost right now."

"Of course we are, we just got out of a war. A war we didn't think we could win" Ezri said, smiling at Kira again. "No one expects you to have everything figured out. Actually no one has nothing figured out. I certainly don't."

"You never do Ezri" she teased, the trill blushing and shaking her head. "But yes you are right, as usual. In bad news, Sisko is still under, but I have faith he will get better. In good news, Damar is awake."

"Oh?" Ezri asked, and Kira gave her a nod, confirming it. "That's good! That means he can keep his work as the Cardassian ruler!"

"If he wants to, yes. Although right now I think he just wants to sleep and drink some water every now and then" she chuckled, and Ezri giggled with her. "I'm glad he is awake. I never thought I would feel compassion for another cardassian after Ghemor but I guess I was wrong."

"He did the right thing in the end. He is willing to change Cardassia for the better. And he listened to you. Of course you would be compassionate towards him" she said, nudging Kira gently. "You try but you can never stop your big, warm heart."

"I do have a soft spot for people who do the right thing" she admitted, smiling at Ezri. "So. What is new with you? I heard you and Julian finally understood each other?"

"Well, we did... for like a week" Ezri said, looking at her glass while Kira looked at her surprised. "I mean it was good and fun and I really thought I loved him..."

"But?" Kira pushed, curious now, and Ezri sighed loudly before looking at Kira with a pout on her face.

"But he is in love with Garak!" she whined, but it wasn't really heartfelt. Kira stared at her even more surprised and Ezri sighed loudly, shaking her head. "I knew it. Somehow I knew it, I could feel it, the tension, the way his eyes sparkled every time he talked about him, and how many times he talked about him during the day... but Julian never showed any sign that he would pursue that..."

"You don't... seem upset" Kira said, and Ezri sighed while nodding slowly.

"Yeah I'm not really upset. Another sign that maybe I didn't love him that much after all. I was a bit upset when he came telling me five days ago that we couldn't keep it going but like, I wasn't... sad. Just disappointed. He is very sweet to me, and very kind. And he kisses well."

"Oh yeah I know that" Kira said, and Ezri looked at her surprised. "Go on."

"I... yeah... so... and then like I asked him why and he said it was Garak and Jadzia... well Jadzia's memories just gave me a 'I told you so' because she seemed to know, even if Julian didn't" she sighed. "Long story short... I'm alone and he is with the cardassian of his dreams."

"Lucky him" Kira chuckled, smiling at Ezri. "And you? Any other possible partner in mind?"

"Well none that aren't taken. Or that I am forbidden to love by trill law" she said, smiling and then giggling right after. "No, I don't have anyone in mind. But enough about me, it must have been amazing to see Odo well again!"

"Oh yes it was, Odo and I have been friends for so long..." Kira said, softly, sipping on her wine and not looking at Ezri. "I knew he would be okay. My heart told as much."

"You don't... seem too happy" Ezri whispered, looking at Kira, she could feel the trill's eyes on her. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing... wrong. I just don't think I feel the same way I did for him a few months ago. I think... I think I don't love him as a partner any longer."

"War can make us realize many things... good, bad and neutral. If you love him as a friend, but not as a partner... then you should probably tell him" Ezri said, and Kira looked at her with a small nod.

"I know. I just didn't want to make him upset right now, in the middle of this... discovery he is having. He is making a new Link, he is creating a new people... I don't want to hurt him."

"I know you don't, but you will be hurting yourself and you will hurt him even more later on" Ezri said, before shaking her head. "Sorry. Just an advice. I can't stop being a counselor even when I want to."

"That's why we love you Ez" Kira chuckled, lifting her glass and nodding to her. "To the end of the war, and a new beginning for all of us."

Ezri smiled and nodded, lifting her own glass and toasting with Kira, before they took a sip and smiled at each other. A new day, a new life. New things to discover. So many toasts to come.

\--------------------------

Coronel Kira made sure to pass by the infirmary at least once a day, every single day. He understood her need to check on captain Sisko, the emissary as she called him, and pray for his recovery, and the mere accident that he and DS9's commander were placed side by side was just another one of those fun accidents of war. Damar, once, would have despised the thought of being cared for by Starfleet medics, to lay next to one of their captain, specially Sisko, to be visited by Kira Nerys out of everyone else.

And yet, right now, in this moment of his life, he could only be thankful.

He was still a proud cardassian, somewhere, but the war, the rebellion, the shift of power and everything else that had happened in the last few months had made him extremely humble, and thankful for all the help he could get. The federation alone had saved their chances of survival, had proved all Cardassia wrong, and somehow had finished the Dominion off for good. Damar could die happy that his people were free.

But he did not die. That... was troublesome.

As he awoke for the third consecutive day on his hospital bed, he wondered if that would be what is life would end up as. He hadn't yet asked the doctor what was his problem, what was the prognostics, what would happen to him, and honestly he wasn't in a hurry to find out. He woke up with a bajoran nurse watching over his vitals, telling him good morning and heading over to get some water for him, and he wondered if she hated what she was doing, if she wanted to poison his water or give them the wrong medication. He was a cardassian, after all.

But whenever he thought that, when the image of a bajoran trying to kill him came into his mind, another joined up almost immediately. The face of a bajoran he hated for so long, her eyes closed towards the ceiling, holding his hand with such tenderness and warmth as she whispered in words he didn't understand, looking like an angel in front of him.

Kira Nerys, the one that beat him up when he bad talked Dukat's daughter. The one he despised during the Dominion occupation of Deep Space Nine. The one he tried to kill several times without Dukat or Weyoun's approval. He had hated her so much in the past, and now, he owed his life to her.

Worst than that, he liked her.

Not like Dukat did, because Dukat was insane and he now could see it. The man he praised and worshiped for so long, nothing but a mask of true insanity, bringing his people down with every chance he got for the smallest revenge over the bajoran people. A bitter taste rose to his mouth whenever he thought of Dukat as his leader, his boss, a mentor. No, Dukat would never rule their people to a better future. But there were some who could, and Damar was sure they would, too.

But he liked Kira like he liked his soldiers. He respected her, he thought her to be worthy of glory, of power, of everything anyone could give her. Because of her, they were safe. Because of her, the war was over. Because of her, he was alive, and ready to start a new fight, to watch a new sun rise. He owed everything to her, and he did not feel bad about it. He only wished he could do anything to pay her back, but he believed he would never find that thing.

After the nurse gave him water and left him to rest, his glance moved over to the captain next to him. Sisko. The Bajoran Emissary. He hoped the prophets would hear their people's request to bring their emissary back. It would be a shame to lose Sisko so easily. But that was besides the point, because Damar didn't believe in gods, specially not bajoran gods. So he could only hope the captain would see it through.

He remained in his bed, thinking and sleeping, on and off as one would, being as hurt as he was. Eventually, he was awoken by doctor Bashir, the small human that took care of the sick. He opened his eyes, facing his medic, and the man opened a fond smile that did not sit well with Damar.

"I'm here to make a few questions about how you feel, can you talk?" he asked, and Damar gave him a nod, blinking slowly, pushing his sleep away. "Alright... are you feeling any pain, anywhere?"

"No" Damar answered, and Bashir wrote something down on his little padd.

"Alright, have you been feeling any dizziness, sickness, light headed, stomach growling or turning...?"

"No."

"Good, good. Can you raise your arm for me?"

Damar slowly raised his right arm, closer to the doctor, his limb shaking slightly. He kept raising it until the doctor held his wrist, and somehow it was really tiresome to do that simple task.

"Good, the other one now."

Damar repeated the procedure.

"Very good, now your legs, one at a time" Bashir continued, and Damar did as asked, one leg, then the other one. "Very good, apparently you didn’t lose any movement but your muscles are getting weaker. We should probably begin physiotherapy. Do you mind?"

"No."

"Excellent. All your other functions seem to be working perfectly well so... I would say with a day or two of watching over you, plus several weeks of physiotherapy, you should be as good as new" he said, grinning, and Damar looked back at him passively. "Do you require anything?"

"When will I be able to go to my own quarters?" he asked, less of a demand, more like a curiosity. He was tired, and he wanted somewhere where he could be alone. Bashir looked at him with an unsure look, then at the captain laying next to him, and hummed.

"Does tomorrow sound good?" he asked, seeming to expect a bad reaction. Damar, however, just gave him a nod.

"Thank you."

"Um... you're welcome" Bashir responded, confused, and then left again, to let him rest. Damar looked up at the ceiling and then closed his eyes, so tired that he fell asleep in less than a second. Perhaps once he was in his own room, he would begin to feel better. Although, he doubted it.

A few hours later, that to him went by like seconds, he was awoken again, this time by talking. When he opened his eyes, tired and sleepy, he saw two blurs in the distance, and after a few times blinking the blurs turned into more defined forms, the forms of Garak and Kira at the other side of the room.

He couldn’t hear what they were saying, because they spoke so softly and he could not focus all that well when he was tired, but it did not take long for the pair to notice him watching, and their talk was interrupted as they walked closer to his bed.

"Hello" Kira said, like she usually did when she arrived, and he gave her a small nod. "Sorry if we woke you up."

"We did not mean to" Garak assured, and Damar looked at him. Then at her. Then at him again.

"It is of no consequence" he said, softly, and fixed himself slightly on the bed. He had been sleeping in the same position for days. "What is it?"

"We came to talk to you, each one of us for a very different reason" Kira said, eyeing Garak before moving closer to Damar. "I came to see if you are alright. If you need anything. And ask if you would like some specific places for your quarters to be."

"My quarters... yes, the doctor said I would be free to leave here in a few days if all goes as planned" Damar considered, looking away for a moment. "Well... anywhere will suffice."

"Are you sure? I can arrange quarters wherever you like... I thought about putting you closer to Garak and other cardassians while you stay, but if you want anywhere else..." Kira suggested, coming closer to him, and Damar looked back at her.

"Anywhere will suffice, thank you coronel."

"Very well then... I will place you in the best room available" she said, looking at Garak soon and then tensing up. "I will leave you to talk to Garak alone..."

It was clear she did not wish to leave, but apparently Garak would not speak to Damar in front of her. So she did leave, the doors closed, and somehow it felt even stranger to talk to Garak in secrecy with the body of the captain of the station right next to them.

"What do you wish to talk to me about, Garak?" he asked, directly, because he was beginning to feel tired again. There was no rush or distaste in his voice, however. He had learned, in the past few months, how to be humble, quiet and attentive when needed. And Garak was not someone to upset, nor someone to be trusted.

"Well, it is a certain set of... matters about Cardassia, I'm afraid" Garak said, approaching him with three PADDs in hand. "You see, our people is, well, leaderless, and many have requested a word from you on the matter. They have awaited until you awoke, and now that you are conscient again, I wanted to make sure to deliver the message."

"I see... but I am not their leader" Damar said, watching Garak and the PADDs in his hands. "I do not know what they wish to hear from me."

"They just want reassurance that you are well and wishes to return to Cardassia and rule it" Garak explained, showing him one of the PADDs. Damar took breath, and lifted his hand to hold the object, reading it's contents. Yes, apparently Garak was being truthful: the cardassian people seemed to await for his word of confidence and reassurance. Comfort... guidance. Things Damar never believed he would have to bring, not to himself, imagine to his people.

"Very well... carry out the message that I will be leaving for Cardassia in the moment I am released of care... but not before" he said, pushing the PADD back. Garak gave him a nod, and moved along to the next.

"Another thing, I took the liberty to see through the peace negotiations between the Dominion and the Federation Alliance to make sure that Cardassia would not be left unguarded or unprotected. I surely hope you don't mind, but since you were incapacitated-"

"I do not mind" Damar said, tilting his head. "I trust you to see Cardassia's best interest in the conversations between the Federation and their allies. Make sure that they know we are in dept with them, and we wish to pay it back."

"I most certainly will" Garak assured, and then moved to the third PADD. "Last subject of the evening... I was wondering if you could reassign me to my homeland? As you possibly know both Tain and Dukat have always treated me as a traitor and therefore, in my official records I'm-"

"You are a free Cardassian again Garak, you have proven your loyalty to the state, to your people and your homeland" Damar assured, reaching for the PADD. Garak gave it to him in a hurry, and he pressed his finger down. "It means nothing now... but it will soon."

"It already means everything" Garak corrected him, and gave a small bow. "I will now leave you to rest. Thank you, Damar."

"You are welcome" he answered, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Just a talk was exhausting, he wondered how he would be able to stand, to eat, to drink, to fight... perhaps he would never have to any longer. He hoped not. The last months had been... too much.

Once Garak was out of the room and he was alone once again, Damar allowed himself to close his eyes and relax, falling into a light sleep once again, resting in what he once considered enemy space. It now... almost felt like home.

\------------------------------

"You did what?!"

"Well, I had to assure that Cardassia would be well informed of their next leader's state-"

"Garak, that is not what we are talking about!" Julian cried out, right outside the infirmary, with Kira standing right next to him, her hands on her hips. "I cannot believe you asked _my_ patient, who is _sick_ and in _heavy_ medication, to sign a document erasing every single one of your bad deeds in Cardassia!"

"What did you expect me to do, doctor? Wait until he could think straight and decide I was a good example? No, thank you. I did what I should, what any cardassian would" Garak replied, to which Kira responded, by gripping his cardigan and pulling him closer, anger in her eyes.

"He is _not_ any cardassian. He is an honored man. And you had no right to come inside and ask him to make a speech for your people, to allow you to take care of peace negotiations and allow you free pass through Cardassia without a proper trial! You are not better than the rest of your kind, Garak!"

"Perhaps you are right. Perhaps he is not any cardassian. But I am, and I did it. I have his finger print and that is all I need. Now, I have many conferences to attend" Garak responded, pulling away from Kira, only for Julian to hold his shirt and pull him back in an easy motion.

"You are not allowed to come in contact with my patient ever again, until he decides you can. If you try, I will get you arrested. And this PADD stays with me" he grabbed the PADD that Damar had printed, Garak letting out an offended gasp before shutting his mouth at both Kira and Julian's faces. " _If_ he agrees with this after he is well, then you will be a free man. If not... I will destroy this myself."

"I see your point" Garak said, his voice calm and calculated as it always was. "I have business to attend. Excuse me."

He pulled away from Julian, leaving them behind, and Kira let out a frustrated groan while Julian shook his head.

"Don't worry coronel, I won't let him get away with this."

"I hope you don't... although, Ezri told me... isn't that going to complicate things?" she asked. She hated Garak with every fiber of her being, but she cared deeply about her friends. With Julian's smile, however, she felt more relaxed.

"No, he understands, even though he doesn't agree. You don't have to worry about our relationship, this won't affect it one bit" he assured, tapping her shoulder and making her smile back. "Now you should rest, coronel. It looks like you need it."

"Yes, I believe I do. I have to find appropriate quarters for Damar too, and finish some reports, so I should probably go to my quarters early. I will see you later Julian" she said, squeezing his hand over her shoulder and heading to her quarters. She had no idea what the doctor saw in Garak, but she couldn't really go against it. After the war, all happiness was valid and appreciated.

And thinking about happiness... there was someone she had to talk to.

They hadn't been... avoiding each other exactly, not really, but they hadn't shared much time together either. He was busy making plans to return to the Link once all the business was finished at Deep Space Nine, and he had no idea when he would be back, if he ever would be. And Kira was busy praying and finishing up some reports and paperwork that she had to take care of now that she was the one commanding the station. Benjamin would be back eventually, she knew that. But while he didn't, she had to make sure everything was in order.

So, there would honestly be no better time to talk to Odo than now, before he left. She walked to his quarters, hoping he would be there, and rang the bell to be allowed inside. When she heard his voice inside and the doors opened, she felt a bit more relaxed, and much more nervous at the same time. He unshifted from whatever he was living as to his humanoid form when she came in, and she smiled when he did, the door closing behind her.

"Nerys" he said, taking steps to her, and she met him half way. "Oh, we have been so busy we barely had any time to talk."

"Yes, I know. That is why I am here. To talk" she explained, holding his hand, and he gave her a nod, showing her to the chair and heading to the replicator to make her some tea. And she waited, anxiously, for his return.

It was now or never.

"I see."

That was his answer.

After almost an hour of talking, trying to reach the subject, and then finally being able to spill it all out, that was what Odo had to say to her.

Well, Kira couldn't say she didn't see it coming.

"I hope you are not angry or... upset. It is the last thing I want, but I had to be honest with you, I had to be honest with myself..."

"Nerys, there is nothing to explain" he answered, and reached for her hand, holding it on his own. "I understand. And, to be honest, I find it very amusing how in sync we have always been."

"What do you mean?" she asked, surprised, holding his hand back when he smiled and chuckled softly.

"I have been feeling the same way. As much as I love you, I don't believe we belong together... not in a romantic sense anyway."

"So you agree with me? So we can be friends again?" Kira asked, hopeful, and Odo gave her a smile and a nod.

"Of course we can. I would be very pleased if we were" he said, and she smiled brightly, all the guilt and worry slipping off her shoulders as she leaned in and hugged him tight. He hugged her right back, kissing her head, and she knew by their touch that he was speaking the truth. That he was calm, and understanding.

"I'm so happy" she whispered, closing her eyes, pressing her face to his shoulder. "I was so scared you would hate me or be upset with me... our friendship... you mean everything to me Odo... I hope you know that..."

"I do... and you mean everything to me, Nerys" he whispered, pulling away and holding her face as she smiled at him. "I hope you won't miss me too much when I leave."

"I will cry every night" she said, honestly, but giggled anyway as he chuckled right at her. "I love you. I love you very, very much."

"I love you too" he responded, brushing her hair back just before the bell rang. She looked at the door and so did Odo, shaking his head.

"expecting visits?" she asked, surprised, and he gave her a look that meant very much. A look only her could probably understand.

"Unfortunately. I hope you don't mind if we talk more tomorrow over breakfast?"

"I will be waiting for you at eight hundred" she said, smiling and kissing his cheek before he took her to the door. When it opened, she was not surprised to find Quark with a bottle of some good Ferengi drink on his hands. He, however, seemed surprised to see her there.

"Oh, coronel!" he said, nervously, stepping back so she could walk out. "I didn't... well, I didn't know you two were busy!"

"Save it Quark, I was just leaving" she said, giving Odo a meaningful look and then smirking at the little Ferengi. "Have fun tonight. Tomorrow your personal hell begins."

"I am sure of it!" Quark responded, lifting his bottle towards her as if he ws toasting. "Have a good night of sleep coronel!"

"You too" she said, smiling at Odo and walking away, turning back when she was far enough to see Odo shaking his head before allowing Quark inside, the doors closing behind them.

She clearly wasn't the only one that missed Odo.

After that little fun, she made her way to her quarters to finish her work and find Damar quarters before going to bed. Honestly, she wasn't really tired, but she was exhausted at the same time, and it was very weird but somehow understandable. She walked inside her room, asked for some tea, picked up the PADDs at her desk and sat on the couch. Kira read some of the reports and signed them off, sending them to Starfleet as she went through, one by one. She had just finished the third one when the door chimed, and she looked over, placing her tea down.

"Come in" she called, and the door opened at her command. Once again, there she was: her angel. Ezri gave Kira a shy smiled and stepped inside, just a bit.

"Am I interrupting?"

"Not at all, please, come in" Kira said, offering her quarters with her hands. "I am sorry I won't get up to greet you, I'm very tired."

"Not a problem. Green tea, hot" Ezri asked to the replicator, getting her mug and walking over to the couch, sitting next to Kira. "Working this late? Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Probably, yes. But I am not in the right mindset to sleep just yet. And I'm sure they won't mind if I sleep in just a bit tomorrow. After all, the war is over" she winked, picking up the PADD again and giving it a quick read. "Shouldn't you be asleep too?"

"Like you said, the war is over" Ezri answered, sipping on her tea and looking at the PADDs. "Besides, I have to get myself ready for the many, many patients I am going to receive. The war... it's hard on people."

"Will you have to work on everyone?" Kira asked, a bit surprised, but Ezri shook her head.

"No, luckily Starfleet is sending several counselors to DS9. But I am getting at least ten more patients, we are short handed on psychology doctors."

"Julian could make a little effort" she teased, and Ezri giggled while shaking her head.

"Oh no, he would be a terrible therapist. He's too loud, talks too much. I mean, I do too now, but when I wasn't Dax I didn't. However people seem to like me better now" she said, confused, and Kira just smiled. "Anyway, what are you working on?"

"Just some reports I have to read and send, and some others I have to do... I also have to find Damar some quarters, Julian said he will probably be let out tomorrow."

"Oh that is great news. Did you ask him where he wants to stay?" Ezri asked, and Kira gave her a nod with a frustrated sigh.

"Yes. And he answered me with a 'anything will suffice'" she said, shaking her head as she looked through a map of the available quarters in the station. "I honestly wished he could have just told me."

"Maybe he did mean it. Maybe he doesn't care, as long as he gets a room" Ezri offered, and Kira shook her head, sighing and moving the map.

"I don't understand... he is so different from all the other cardassians I have ever seen! He is... well, was, loud and blunt and honest and now he is calm and quiet and humble... and I don't understand because neither of those are very cardassian like traits!" she said, clearly frustrated, sighing when Ezri touched her leg. "I don't understand... I have never met a cardassian like him."

"What do you mean?" Ezri asked, softly, and Kira knew she was probing, but at the moment she had to talk about it, because she had never been able to express those feelings to anyone else. And she didn't understand them.

"I am a bajoran. I dislike cardassians very, very much, and for obvious reasons. Cardassians are known for being intelligent, talkative, proud, cunning, treacherous, and much more. They are a people of warriors, but warriors that have no honor, that have no hesitation on working in the shadows. They are a strange mixture of Klingons and Romulans and I have known all my life not to trust a cardassian. I did not trust any of them during the occupation. I never trusted Dukat, and I never trusted Ghemor, and honestly I didn't even trust Ziyal when I first met her! And Garak, oh, I will never trust him. He is the worst of them all, because he pretends to be good until it satisfies his needs, a true cardassian. But Damar..." she stopped, looking down at her PADD, and only looked back up when Ezri spoke.

"Damar is different."

Kira looked at her, and Ezri seemed to understand, in a way. Her eyes were calm and sweet and gentle, and so understanding. It frustrated Kira to the bone.

"I did trust Ghemor, once. Until Dukat put it in my head that he had ordered to kill many of my people. And I could have forgotten it, I could have put it aside and pretended like I never heard it, but something... something inside me told me it was true. So I looked into it, and it was true. He had killed bajorans. He had hurt my people. I truly never trusted him, or else I wouldn’t have looked into it. But with him, with Damar, it feels like if someone came to me with a horrible secret, something absurd, told me he had done it..."

"You wouldn't believe it."

"He is not a good man, and of that I am certain" Kira said, suddenly with a new wave of energy pulsing through her body. She put the PADD aside and stood up, pacing in front of Ezri as the trill watched her. "He was a gill back during the occupation, and they were the ones that killed, that murdered. I know he hurt my people, I know he served under many, many guls and legades, I know he commanded troops and killed bajorans. I know that he was Dukat's right hand man, that he hated me, that he wanted me dead when the Dominion took over Deep Space Nine, that he would have killed me at any moment if he had the chance. I know he is not a good man... but... for some reason... I know I can trust him."

"Being good and being trustworthy are very different things, Kira" Ezri tried, but she didn't understand. Kira sighed and rubbed her face in frustration.

"I know Ezri, I know! But the problem is that it is the same thing when it comes to cardassians! It is in their very nature, to lie and deceive for their own well being, and yet Damar never did it. He was always loud, always rude, always honest, he showed his feelings like he was putting his clothes, he never gave any indication that he was lying, and during the rebellion it didn't change! He didn't pretend to follow my lead, he followed it! He never complained, he never second guessed, he never opposed to me... he never even rose his voice Ezri..." she looked at her friend, in her eyes, and she looked back at Kira.

"And that frustrates you."

"To no end" she sighed, sitting down next to her again. "I grew used with cardassians I couldn't trust, cardassians that would do anything to hurt my people. And while I know he is capable of it... I don't think he would ever lie about it. And that is not very cardassian of him. Makes me unsure what to think."

"Well, bajorans are known for their peaceful ways and their religious manner. However you were a terrorist. Some people are just different from the status quo" Ezri offered, and Kira looked at her a little surprised, but also understanding. "He is just... a different cardassian. One that doesn't believe in lying to move up or forward. One that is honest and sure of his decisions. Maybe that's why you like him."

"I never said I liked him" Kira said, smiling at Ezri, and she giggled with a nod.

"Not with words, you didn't. But you talk to him every day and taught him a bajoran prayer. I think that is more than showing how you really feel."

"Yes, perhaps it is" she said, and then reached for her tea, sipping on it. "I think I will... put him a few quarters away from here. Just to keep an eye on him."

"I think that would be wise" Ezri agreed, smiling at Kira. "Did you talk to Odo?"

"I did. And he agreed with me" she answered, chuckling to herself. "And then Quark came in. I can't believe I was replaced by a ferengi goblin."

"Well, they always did love each other" Ezri pointed out, and Kira nodded with a chuckle.

"Yes they did... somehow, they did. Anyway, I should probably finish these reports and go to bed. And so should you" she nudged her friend, who smiled and nodded.

"I will be doing just that, believe me" Ezri said, reaching out and squeezing Kira's shoulder. "Have a good night, Nerys."

"You too Ezri" she answered, watching as the trill stood up, put her empty mug in the replicator and left. Kira let out a sigh, wondering if someone else would come over to talk to her, just before the door chimed again and she looked over, surprised with herself for guessing. "Come in!"

The door opened, and a smile grew on Kira's face as she saw Ziyal standing there, watching her.

"I hope I'm not intruding, I know it's late..." the girl said, and Kira shook her head while standing up.

"Of course not, come inside" she said, always happy to see her. "Do you want something to drink? To eat?"

"No, not really, I don't want to take much of your time... I came here for an advice" she said, sitting down by the dinner table, and Kira sat down next to her, watching as the girl played with her hands for a moment.

"Sure... go ahead, what is wrong?" Kira probed, and Ziyal sighed before looking at her.

"It's about Damar" she said, and Kira nodded, tilting her head slightly. "I know you don't like him, I know he tried to kill me, but... he was the closest man to my father when I first met him... and now that my father is gone... I don't know, I feel like I should go to him. I know you hate him, but-"

"I think you should talk to him" Kira said, softly, and Ziyal looked at her surprised, clearly not expecting that answer to come out of her.

"Really? But... he tried to kill me. He hated you. He did horrible things!"

"I know. But he is changed, and I think that if you want, you should go and talk to him" she said, and Ziyal blinked slowly, giving Kira a small nod and being quiet for a minute, before speaking again.

"You like him more than you liked my father, don't you?"

Kira looked at Ziyal, knowing she could never lie to her. She took a moment to think about all the threats Damar had made to her over the years, and somehow they didn't seem half as bad as a fake smile from Dukat, a dirty look, an unwanted touch.

"Yes, I do. Because no matter what, he is an honest man. And your father never was" she said, and Ziyal nodded, understanding and slightly upset. Kira wondered how horrible it must have been, to be the daughter of someone so vile and evil as Dukat, and still love him somehow.

"I understand... well, I will talk to him then, tomorrow" Ziyal said, reaching for Kira's hand and holding it gently. "Would you mind coming with me?"

"Of course not. We could pray for the captain together, and talk to him after, if you'd like" she offered, and Ziyal smiled, giving her a nod and squeezing her hand.

"Thank you... I will go back to my quarters now, have some rest" she said, and stood up, Kira standing after her to guide her to the door. "Send me a message when you leave to the infirmary. I will go with you."

"Of course. Have a good night of sleep Ziyal" she said, watching as the girl turned and left in the hallway, heading back to her own quarters. Kira watched her silently, wondering how she had managed to love someone as much as she loved that girl, as if she was her own daughter.

But the how didn't really matter. She closed the door after Ziyal turned into the next hallway, deciding to work on the reports in the morning. She picked up a room for Damar a few quarters away from hers, and went to sleep.

\----------------------

"Well, everything seems to check out, you are recovering at a fast pace and there seems to be nothing else wrong with you. I would say you are free to go to your new quarters" Bashir said around ten hundred hours, when he came to check on Damar after the nurse did her own checks. Damar looked at him with a nod, and Bashir walked closer to him, tapping him gently on the shoulder. "I will call Kira so she can take you to your quarters."

"Very well" Damar responded, still laying down, unsure he would be able to get out of the bed alone. Bashir nodded and left without saying anything else, but with a grin that spoke louder than words. While alone, Damar did his best to move, being able to push himself up into a half sitting position, but the small movement alone making his arms ache and his chest exhausted. He closed his eyes, awaiting, and rested a little more, so he would be sure to have some energy to move when the coronel arrived.

When she did, a few minutes later, she was not alone. Damar opened his eyes when the doors chimed open, and with her came inside Ziyal, someone he never thought he would see again, someone he truly believed was dead. His eyes widened slightly in surprise, and Kira seemed apologetic in her glances, while Ziyal seemed unsure, stopping behind the bajoran and watching.

"I came here to take you to your quarters, but Ziyal wanted to talk to you" she explained, to which Ziyal immediately interrupted.

"I can talk to you after you are settled, I don't want to bother" she assured, and Kira looked at him, awaiting for an answer. Damar didn't have one, so he stared at the pair for a moment.

"You can talk to me right now, if you wish" he said, eventually, because after he made his way to his quarters he would probably just want to sleep for the rest of the day, so it would be better for her to talk to him now. Ziyal and Kira exchanged looks, and the bajoran nodded to her, before she stepped forward and walked to Damar's side, playing with her hands.

"Well... first of all, hi. I'm glad you are better" she said, and Damar gave her a nod. He did not know how to answer her. He had tried to kill her, and he was sure she did not forget. Yet, there she was, talking to him. "I... just... well, I didn't really think about what I was going to say when I came here... but I think first of all I want to say that I forgive you for trying to kill me. I understand your motives, you were loyal to my father, and... well it wasn't nice to almost die but I understand" she started, and Damar felt a bit pinch of guilt in his heart. "Second, I want to say that because you were my father's right hand man, probably his last friend, I just... want you to know that I will help you with whatever I can. I know he went insane and did horrible things, things that I never believed to be right, but he was still my father and I love him. So I want to honor his memory by... at least ending our problems. And third I want you to know that I will do everything I can to help you restore Cardassia to its former glory. I am half cardassian and I think it is my duty to help as much as I can. If you would have me."

She spent most of her time looking between him and her hands, nervous, like a child would, and Damar truly had never felt something like this before. He had killed many people, and even Rusot didn't provoke as much guilt as this did. He had been horrible to her, and here she was, forgiving him and assuring she would do all in her power to help. He did not deserve her forgiveness, her aid, and he knew it. However, he also knew that he would need all the help he could get. So, with weak arms, he reached for her hands and she looked at him surprised, and perhaps a little scared, something he couldn't blame her for.

"Ziyal, I want to ask your forgiveness for all wrongs I have done to you. You never deserved what I did, and your heart is big and powerful and it shows, by your ability to come here and forgive me without even asking for anything in return. I tried to be a good friend to your father, I worshiped him, and for that I believe I have blame in his madness. I am sorry, for not helping him see, and for not helping you reach him. I should have been nicer to you, and I wasn't. I should have respected you, and I didn't. And now I will beg for all your help, because I do not deserve such kindness from someone I hurt so deeply. But if you are giving it out of a good heart, out of faith that I can be better, than I will honor your thought, your gift and your life. I will accept your help, and I will make sure the new Cardassia that rises today will not think of you as an outsider, as someone that doesn't belong, but as a valued member, and a loved cardassian woman, if you want it. Thank you, for forgiving me, Ziyal" he said, holding her hands, squeezing them gently, and then placing his forehead over her hand as a sign of respect. She probably did not know what that meant, she had much to learn from cardassian culture, but it was an act of faith and deep respect and admiration. When he pulled back, she had her eyes teary, and a smile that made his heart a little lighter. And after a moment of silence, Kira cleaned her throat behind her, and they looked at her while she smiled at them.

"Now we should probably take you to your quarters" she said, and Damar nodded, pulling his hand away from Ziyal's. She asked if she could help them, and Damar accepted it as a demonstration of faith, knowing that cardassians did not like to show weakness, even to those they respected and loved. However, he did not have that option here. So with Ziyal and Kira's help, he stood from the bed, and slowly made his way out of the infirmary, finally seeing the promenade and all the people running around Deep Space Nine. It was strange, to see so many people from so many planets running around in the same place, but for some reason he was thankful that was the case.

As they walked to the nearest lift, he was very aware of the stares being sent to his direction. People stopped, watched and whispered to themselves as he made his way to the lift, but he did not allow their stares to bother him visibly. Inside, he was filled with shame and distaste, but outside he showed nothing, having learned in the past year how to suck up his feelings and move forward. If he hadn't, he would have never freed Cardassia. The pride he once held as the most important thing of all, now came second to many more important features. He was a changed man, and of that, he was certain.

After what seemed hours of slow walks and lifts, they arrived at the hallway where his quarters were located. Kira opened the door with her cold and immediately he was met with a breeze of warm air, something that relaxed him so much he almost faltered in his steps. No wonder Garak complained so much, the humans had their temperature way too low for cardassian standards. He walked inside, looking around at the quarters, the desk, the couch, and the door to the bedroom, but asked for nothing, allowing Kira and Ziyal to guide him to the couch instead of the bed, where he wanted to be left. They placed him down and he groaned in slight pain, some of the wounds still aching even though they were healed. Once settled, as he imagined, he could feel the sleep coming over, the tiredness taking over his mind.

"Do you need anything from us?" Kira asked before he drifted off, and Damar made an effort to not fall asleep in front of them, shaking his head.

"No, thank you" he said, and Kira nodded to Ziyal, who quickly left the room. Then, her arm wrapped around his chest again, pulling him up, and he groaned with his eyes closed, unable to open them up. "Where..."

"To bed" she responded, and he felt a wave of thankfulness wash through his body. He walked with her, slowly, and suddenly he was being laid down on a soft mattress, head placed on top of a pillow, covered up by a blanket. "Sleep. Rest. Call me if you need anything."

"I will" he whispered, right before he drifted off, not knowing if she had told him something else or not. He was so tired, he couldn't keep himself awake, and he slept throughout the rest of the morning and over the afternoon before waking up in the evening, slightly confused but very happy to be alone in his own quarters.

\----------------------

"How is he?" Kira heard the moment she left the infirmary for the second time that day. She looked over to see Ezri standing nearby, clearly unsure if she should walk in or not, and Kira gave her a small smile.

"Well, Julian said he is stable, but there is no way of knowing when he will wake up" she said, walking to her friend, the two of them making their way through the promenade. "All I do is pray that the prophets put him in a good path. But I know Kasidy and Jake are praying for him to wake up soon. So are all the rest of the station that aren't bajorans."

"I understand. To your faith, it's more important that he is with the prophets than alive around us. I get it" Ezri said, taking Kira towards the replimat and standing in front of the replicator. "Two tarkalian teas, hot" she asked, and took them both, sitting down and handing one to Kira. "Have the prophets given you any indication what their plan for Benjamin is?"

"No, not at all" Kira answered, sipping on her tea and sighing softly. "To be honest, they haven't talked to me in quite some time. I think they are busy with the captain, teaching him what he should know now that he is with them."

"Yeah, probably" Ezri agreed, despite Kira knowing she didn't believe in a word she said. It didn't matter, she was a good friend. "What about Damar? Julian told me he was released from infirmary, taken to his quarters?"

"Yes, Ziyal and I took him there this morning" she answered, drinking some more of her tea, looking to the wall, at nothing really. "He was very tired, Ziyal wanted to talk to him, make sure he knew she forgave him for trying to kill her and assuring she will help with the rebuilding of Cardassia... she is the most wonderful girl I have ever met, Ezri. It is a bit impressive, considering her genetics."

"Well, genetics usually say very little about our personalities. And you never knew her mother" she said, and Kira gave her a smile and a nod. "But I'm glad she is willing to forgive him and move forward. It is very important, even if people think it could be detrimental."

"She is so forgiving, sometimes I think she will end up hurting herself in the process" Kira said, honestly, looking down at her tea and sighing softly. "But I know Damar meant all he said to her. He said he will build a new Cardassia where she won't be seen as an outsider, but as a part of their society. That he will change the old ways. I believe him... I know he will at least try."

"I think he will, too. The experience with the Dominion, with the rebels, with fighting for freedom, it changes everyone. He grew, that was what happened" Ezri said, smiling at her. "Anyway, enough about that. What do you think about going to the holosuit today? I really feel like taking a bath at some spa and relaxing a little, now that we have the time to do so."

"I think I could do that" Kira said, smiling lightly and nodding to Ezri. "I have been a little stressed, I could use some relaxation and just... pretending to be somewhere I'm not. You know, because it is a holo program?"

"You didn't seem to see Vic as a holo program anymore, I thought you had changed" Ezri teased, smiling at her, and Kira chuckled with a nod, standing up and following her friend as Ezri guided her to her quarters. "We need to change! I have a bath suit waiting for me at my quarters!"

"I don't, can you lend me one?"

"Of course! Jadzia made you several, I can pick one up from her old quarters!"

\----------------------

After Damar was taken to his quarters, Kira began to see less and less of him throughout the days. Fact was that she had to make time to visit the captain, hang around with her friends and work in several reports for all the governments involved in the war, now that she was the acting commander on the station. With all the duties to perform, she kept in touch with Damar's state by Julian, who told her how he was doing and how the therapies seemed to be working on fortifying his muscles and getting him back to his old self. Garak was still not allowed to visit him, much to his distaste, but Julian was being able to keep him occupied while Damar recovered. She also got to know how he was through Ziyal and Ezri, that visited him constantly, one by her own want and the other for work. Ezri was his counselor while he recovered, and Ziyal was clearly just trying to get closer to him, know him better.

So after a week without seeing him, finally Kira had some time to go and visit. She finished her reports right before lunch, when he got a break from the physical therapy, and made her way to his quarters just in time for the nurse to walk out. The door remained opened as she greeted Kira, and from inside Damar looked over, looking much better than the week before, stronger and more awake, but clearly tired of the physical.

"May I come in?" she asked, not wanting to intrude, and Damar gave her a nod while slowly standing up from the couch, fixing his clothes and walking towards her. She walked inside, the doors closed, and he headed for the replicator.

"Do you want anything to eat? It is my time to lunch" he explained, and she gave the back of his head a smile.

"I would like something, I came here to share your meal, if you don't mind" she said, and he looked back at her with slight distrust in his eyes that quickly melted away, a nod following. He ordered some cardassian dish for himself and walked to the table, and she asked for a bajoran one, sitting in front of him. After a moment of silence, she decided to 'break the ice', as Julian used to say. "I can see you are better, I'm glad. How are you feeling overall?"

"Tired. But fine. I am glad I can stand on my own" he said, taking a bite of what looked like a fish. Kira took a bite of her own plate, a big mix of greens, fruits and vegetables. "How is your work at the station?"

"It is taking all my free time, but it settled now that things are beginning to fall into place. The Klingons are going home, so are the Romulans, and soon it will all be settled" she said, still watching him. He looked at her once or twice, but not too long or too many times. It was clear he wanted to ask her why she was there, but did not want to be rude or intruding. "I came here to see how you were doing. Back when you were in the infirmary we talked every day."

"Yes, I remember" he said, finally looking at her more directly. He never smiled, she had never seen him do so ever since they invaded the Dominion headquarters back in Cardassia Prime. For some reason, she missed it. "I usually fell asleep before we could finish our conversation."

"I didn't mind. It was good to know you were comfortable enough to sleep in front of me" she said, honestly, and he gave her a nod. "Even though we did plenty of that back at Mila's house."

"We did, didn't we?" he asked, shaking his head. "It seems like it was years ago, but it has been only a month or so. Strange, how time seems to pass so fast and so slow at the same time. Confusing. It feels like yesterday I was just Dukat's lacky under a cargo ship and now... well... now I am eating with you after becoming some sort of legend to my people."

"I think that is quite a development" she said, tilting her head, and he looked back at her with something close to amusement in his eyes, but it did not reach out of them. "You did well. You saved the alpha quadrant. We owe a lot to you."

"We owe a lot to you" Damar reflected, and Kira looked at him without arguing. "Without you, our rebellion wouldn't have lasted a single day. Without you, I would be dead and the Dominion would have destroyed Cardassia. We owe everything to you."

"I didn't do it alone" she responded, looking deep into his eyes. "I mean it. I had the experience, sure, but if you didn't believe me, if you didn't learn and evolve, if you didn't fight for what was right... it would have all been in vain."

"You talk as if I am the hero the people think I am" he said, clearly unsure and disliking of this new title. She could understand. She would not like to be called a heroin either, if that was the case in Bajor. "I was the Dominion's puppet for over an year, without considering the time I was Dukat's. I took so long to see how wrong we were, I allowed my people to suffer and die for a cause that wasn't our own... and then, I killed even more of them to save them. It is quite contradictory when you think about it."

"I know, I lived what you lived. I have been in your place before. It isn't easy, but it is right" she assured, finally reaching out, taking his hand like she did back when he was on his biobed, asleep. He tensed up, and then relaxed, but didn't hold her hand back. "You saved Cardassia. You saved your people. And now, you can rebuild a new society. Is there anything better?"

"I believe not" he admitted, and then finally turned his hand under hers, taking hers into his own, gently. "I still have much to thank you for. Specially for putting aside your hatred towards us and helping us save our people. I know it wasn't easy. And Cardassia will never forget what the bajorans did for us, not while I live. I will teach our children about your involvement, I will tell the real story about the occupation. They will know how much suffering we caused, and how much forgiveness the bajorans have in them."

"That is all I could ask for" she said, squeezing his hand away, and then pulling away to return to her dinner. He did the same, now with a much calmer, relaxed body language, and she was glad he did. "You plan to head back to Cardassia as soon as you are better, right?"

"Yes" he replied, taking a bite of his fish. "Apparently the people want me as their leader and I guess I can't deny that to them. They have lost enough, they need someone they can trust, and even though I don't think I am the correct man, they seem to believe I am. So I will do my best to guide Cardassia and make sure it is rebuilt."

"I think you will be a good leader" Kira said, eating some of her fruits and playing a bit with the seeds. "I know you will need a lot of help. Have you ever considered asking the Federation or some other empire?"

"I don't believe I will, actually. I think the Federation, the Klingons and the Romulans have enough on their hands, and the last two will probably never agree in helping cardassians after what we have done" he said, shaking his head. "No, I think this reconstruction will have to come from our own hands. I have been thinking about keeping the military force at a minimum, and putting soldiers to work on the construction of buildings and other civil occupations. I just hope they don't hate me for it."

"I don't think they will. Their families were involved too. The Dominion destroyed most of Cardassia Prime in their attacks" she said, eating some more and looking at Damar. "I have been thinking about talking to the Bajoran Government... we have not been attacked by the Dominion, we did not suffer heavy casualties... we could send troops to aid in the reconstruction of Cardassia."

Damar looked up at her the moment she spoke of the Bajoran Government, and she could not read his eyes. After a moment of thick, heavy silence, he took another bite of his fish and a deep breath, and closed his eyes for an instant before opening them up again, his eyes focused on his food instead of her.

"I don't believe you should put your people in such position" he said, and then looked at her again. She was waiting to see disgust or maybe anger in his eyes, but she only saw tiredness and understanding. "We do not deserve any help from Bajor. No matter how much we need it. So please, keep them out of it."

She didn't respond to that, mostly because she didn't know how. She could see by the way he spoke and the honesty in his eyes that he meant exactly that, that he wanted the help, he needed it, but he didn't wish to put the bajoran people in discomfort. She had never seen anything like it coming from a cardassian, any cardassian. She was speechless, and no matter how much she disagreed, she just gave him a nod and ate some more, wondering how much she had changed in relation to Damar in just a few weeks. She hadn't even wanted to go to the mission in the first place, to aid him and his rebel group, and now she wanted to help him with all she had. Maybe she had a soft heart, maybe the prophets made her too forgiving. Or maybe, they were guiding her and the cardassian people into a new time.

The prophets worked in mysterious ways sometimes.

They finished their lunches in silence, but it wasn't bad or heavy or uncomfortable. It was as if they just had nothing more to say, and she enjoyed his silent company like she would enjoy one of her rebellion mates' company back during the occupation. It was a strange feeling, but a welcomed one nevertheless.

Once she was done, she excused herself and told him to rest, taking their plates to the replicator and making her way back to Ops to work. After working for her shift, she left to the temple to pray for Benjamin, for the prophets and for the protection of Bajor, and ended up praying too for the reconstruction of Cardassia, a better Cardassia. After that, she had a meeting with her friends at Quarks, and then sleep, so she would be ready for the next day.

\--------------------

By the end of the second week of physical therapy, Damar was already feeling way better. He could walk, lift objects and even make sharp turns and movements without pain or dizziness, something the nurses linked to his usual cardassian structure rather than their methods, assuring that he had made a faster recovery than any of their previous patients. Years ago, he would have gloated about his superior cardassian biology, but now, he just thanked the nurses and continued his exercises as much as he could, to get strong again.

Something else that seemed to be getting better was his relationship with Ziyal. For some reason he did not comprehend, she forgave him entirely, and after that day, began talking to him as if they were friends, or uncle and niece. She came over to his quarters every day with no exceptions, to show him the new art she was making and talk about how he was feeling. He never told her too much, only saying he was fine and assuring her drawings were getting better every day, to which she smiled proudly and just enthusiastically showed him more and more work. Unlike he previously thought, he did not mind her company, in fact he quite enjoyed it, finding her to be way smarter and interesting than he had once believed her to be. She was still just as kind as she was back in the day, but now he understood that kindness was not fake or misguided, but just truthful to who she was.

She just wasn't a normal cardassian. Her half bajoran genetics really shone over her gray skin.

And then, of course, asides from the bajoran nurses and Ziyal, there were also the visits of counselor Dax, whom he saw every other day, against his will. At first, he told her nothing at all, and they spent the entire section staring at each other without letting out a word. Slowly, he began to open up to her, nothing too important or essential, mostly how he felt throughout the day, how tired he was and how his muscles ached. He focused on the physical, because he did not wish to share his thoughts and feelings with someone he didn't know. He didn't want to share them with anyone. And yet, she came every time. He wondered if she even wanted to be there or not, but it clearly wasn't her choice, and she never showed any signs of discomfort. She just sat there, and talked about whatever he wanted to talk about.

Today was one of those days.

"Like I said, I am still tired most of the time, but I have been feeling quite better" he said, for what felt like the tenth time, looking at her while she looked back at him, her legs crossed, holding a PADD and a pen. She nodded and wrote something down, and he held back a sigh. "I have nothing else to say."

"Damar, look" she said, and finally, after five or so sections, it seemed like he finally hit a nerve "it's clear that you don't want to do this. I don't want to do this either. I'm tired of coming here and staring at you for an hour and then leaving. But my boss won't allow me to give you a pass until you talk to me. So please, end this suffering for both of us? Just tell me how you feel, about your condition, about Cardassia, about Ziyal, Kira, Garak, me! Anyone! Anything! Please!"

He looked at her, at her distressed expression and her tired eyes, and he saw himself on her just a little bit. Maybe he had grown soft, maybe he was just as tired as she was of those meetings. Maybe he just needed to talk. He didn't know. The fact was, he opened his mouth, and talked.

"Ziyal has been making some good drawings" he said, and Dax's eyes widened, before she grabbed her pen and PADD and nodded. "She comes over every day, to show them to me, and to talk to me. I don't understand why, but she seems to have forgiven me for trying to kill her."

"Does that make you feel good?" she asked, looking at him with so much thankfulness that he felt slightly bad for making her suffer for so long.

"Yes, I believe it does" he said, because what else would he say? He had the company of a lovely girl, one that made him think about a future where Cardassia would be as open and kind as her. She gave him hope, in a way. "Even if I don't understand it."

"Sometimes we just don't understand our own feelings. That's normal."

The conversation continued in a light, calming way. Dax did not probe much, she just responded to everything he talked about, and he didn't go too deep either. He wouldn't, not with her, but it did feel good to talk about Ziyal and Cardassia, and about what would happen after he was well enough to leave. And Dax heard him and wrote down everything he spoke, making sure never to push too far. He talked about Kira too, once or twice, something he didn't even realize he did, but he did not mind much. In the end, the talk was quite pleasant, and the hour went faster than ever. She even left with a smile on her face.

And Damar wondered for a while how his life had come to this.

\--------------------------

It had been a week since Kira's last visit, not that he had been counting. In fact, he had been so busy between talking to Dax and Ziyal and finally reading reports about the war and how Cardassia was thriving that he barely noticed the time pass. He worked on his exercises, made sure to give Ziyal all the attention he deserved, and in the end, he was always tired, making for a nice night of restful sleep. A sleep that was not tormented for once in his life.

But besides exercising, reading and talking to other people, there was something else he had been doing throughout his days. He decided to do it the second day after he was brought to his quarters, and had not failed a single day to do it again: he replicated a ve'ot terafa, something he was surprised to even have available in the computer logs, and placed it next to the couch with a few candles, sitting while he couldn't do much, kneeling after he could. It was something that, from all he knew, hadn’t been used in Cardassian culture for quite some time, and that he only knew thanks to his mother's connection to her ancestors. He did not know any prayers, however, because he was never intelligent enough to hear his mother when she spoke her wisdom to him, so he used something else he had learned, the only type of prayer he had even learned.

" _Jia'kaja, tre'nu'tol'a rem... La'por i'lanu kos... I'nar tan'a'tali nor..."_ he whispered, using those words without meaning to project his sentiment towards the object, so that somehow, it would bring some meaning to him. Saying those words, so far from Kardasi or even standard, felt strange to his own ears, but made his heart and soul rejoice in peace. Cardassians had lost their faith long ago, and now he was beginning to wonder why.

Nothing about his routine had been different that day. The moment he was alone, he kneeled in front of the ve'ot terafa, closed his eyes and prayed. He did not know to what he was praying, or to whom, but he believed that if some type of gods were around, being the prophets or any other types of gods around the universe, someone would hear his words and know what he meant. He repeated them, over and over again, as the candles burnt and his soul calmed down, somehow, for some reason. There was a lot about this new ritual he couldn't explain, many things he didn't understand, but the important thing, he believed, was that it brought him some peace, somehow.

He was so focused on it, however, that he did not hear the door chime once, nor twice. Considering his state, whoever was at the door used their code and opened the door, and only then he found himself hearing the weird sound of the door opening, making him turn to look who it was that was interrupting his own sacred ritual.

Somehow, he was not surprised when he saw coronel Kira standing there, the door closing behind her.

"I... am sorry" she whispered, the moment she saw him. The room's lights were turned off, so his face was only lit up by the candles around the object. He did not know what to say, for a moment, and she stepped away. "I did not mean... I will come back another time."

With that, she turned and left, and he was thankful for it, returning his attention to the object, closing his eyes and whispering his prayers. He sincerely hoped he had not offended her in any way, but it was quite the vulnerable position he found himself in, and she did not offend him at all by walking inside. He understood she could be worried about his well being, even though he did not understand why. But it was no time to wonder. He simply continued his prayers, despite not knowing what they meant, and rested his mind for an hour or two.

\---------------------

In the next day, Kira came to visit Damar once more, ready to apologize for entering and disturbing him at such a delicate moment. She rang the bell and he let her in, finding the cardassian sitting on the couch, the object still next to him as he read PADDs and drank some type of weird drink.

"Coronel" he said, and walked a few steps forward, the door closing.

"May I come in?" she asked, and with his nod, she pulled the chair and sat somewhat close to him, but still far enough away not to be invasive. "What are you reading?"

"The reports of the war. I'm finally able to know what is happening to my people, both in Cardassia and out" he said, looking through them, five PADDs in his lap. "The news are not good... but they are within what I expected. Garak has been doing a great job on keeping up with all the news coming by."

"Garak can be quite useful when he wants to be" she said, shaking her head. She was still mad at Garak for tricking Damar into signing those papers. "In any case, I came to apologize for yesterday. I did not mean to intrude or bother you."

"I understand why you came in. I did not answer the chime, you thought something had happened to me" he said, nodding to her again and sipping on his drink. "There is no need to apologize. You came, saw me and left. No harm done."

"I'm glad" she said, and stayed quiet for a moment, unsure on how to continue the conversation. She wanted to know what he was doing, or at least have an idea, but she did not know how to start a conversation. "If you don't mind me asking... what is that object?"

Kira's eyes moved to the stone object next to Damar, the same one she saw him worshipping the day before. He shifted his eyes towards it as well and hummed, picking it up. He looked at it for a moment, and then put it back down, eyes never drifting from it.

"It is called a ve'ot terafa, in Kardasi. I don't believe there is a translation to it, but the direct one would be a dead stone, or the stone of the dead" he said, finally looking back at her, and she nodded slowly.

"Something to represent the deceased?" she offered, and he nodded.

"Yes, you can say it like that."

"I had never seen one of those before. And I have been around many cardassians during the occupation and after" she said, tilting her head, watching him and the stone. "It has carvings in it... that is not kardasi, is it?"

"It is ancient kardasi. I have no idea how your computers had this, but I'm glad they did" Damar responded, putting his PADDs away and focusing entirely on the stone. She was very curious about it. "It is one of the few objects that remain from Cardassian religion, the one we abandoned centuries ago."

"I didn’t even know Cardassia had a religion. Ever" Kira said, scooting closer to Damar with her chair, watching as he picked it up again and handed to her with the slightest hesitation. She picked it up carefully, and looked over the beautiful engravings on the stone, a very usual stone, with no gold or edges.

"We did, once. But when power and conquest filled our minds, we forgot our traditions and began new ones. Few cardassians remember those days, mostly because there have been centuries since, but some families still hold some respect for the ancient ways. My ancestors came from this religion, what you could perhaps call vedeks or terran monks. They were an isolated group that lived in the mountains, with no clothes or houses or farming. Everything they had, the planet provided. It was just before the first interstellar travels that my people lost their faith. My mother's family kept some traditions, as much as they could, so I was taught some of the stories" he explained, receiving the stone once she handed it back to him. "I never heard her too much, I always dreamed of being a soldier and serving my country. But now... I feel like I should have listened better to her."

"I think you are doing a fine job on your own" Kira said, and Damar placed the stone back on the table next to the couch, eyeing it silently. "Is this for Cardassia... or...?"

"I will build one in scale for Cardassia, in the capital, when I return. But no, this one... Is for my family. My son, and my wife" he said, his fingers slowly sliding down the cravings. "My mother used to say that in the ancient religion, cardissians believed that the bodies should be buried nude, right in the earth, so that their remains could be drifted through the soil and be reborn as something new. It is still tradition, to bury a body and plant their favorite plant, tree or flower on top of their grave, even if no one remembers why. It is because it is said that their bodies are absorbed by these plants, and they become these plants, and the plants are eaten by animals and they become those animals. And through this cycle, of plant and animal and soil, they eventually return as a cardassian once more, and the cycle never ends. This stone... was used when someone couldn't find a body to bury. It was meant to represent the soul that would never make part of the cycle in a known way. Since I doubt I will ever see my wife or son's bodies again, I decided to replicate the stone... and pray upon it."

"Do you... know any cardassian prayer?" Kira whispered, feeling like that moment was too personal and vulnerable to speak any louder than a whisper. Damar looked at her for the first time in quite a while, and shook his head, pulling his hand away from the stone.

"No, I do not. One of my many mistakes, in not listening to my mother. However, I decided that if there is a god, or gods, or any being out there that listens to Cardassians, they will listen no matter what. So I have been using the prayer you taught me, the one for protection. I hope you do not mind."

"I'm honored" she whispered, and for the first time in weeks, a smile curled on his face, a small one, but surely there. She looked at the stone again, and then at him. "I know a few others that are specific for souls that have left their bodies, if you would like to learn..."

"I think it would be interesting, to have more than a single phrase to speak to the universe" he agreed, and she smiled at him, before asking the computer to dim the lights and closing her eyes. She opened her mouth and began a prayer, slow and steady so Damar would follow, and soon he was speaking it with her, in a softer tone, unsure but determined, sending their prayers out to the prophets, or like he had said, whoever the gods of the Cardassians were.

Kira found that she didn't mind sharing more of her culture with him, and taught him several other prayers, all related to the souls of the deceased, and their next encounter in life. And even after an hour doing that, she didn't find herself tired or wanting to leave.

And his voice was soothing and calm, speaking the language of the prophets.

\------------------------

Another week went by and finally Damar felt good enough to go home. Bashir told him time and time again that if he really wanted to feel better, he should continue with the exercises, eat well and make sure he didn't overwork himself for at least another month, but the doctor knew the moment he stepped in Cardassia that he would be working double to get his people back on their feet. He was also allowed to talk to Garak, releasing him from his traitor state and making him his right hand man in the government of their new Cardassia, while he named others under him as commanders, guls and legades as they pleased. They had deserved it, and now, they needed all the help they could get.

As he organized his bags to leave (not that he had many things to take), he wondered how long it would be until he ever stepped on Deep Space Nine again. For some reason, in the few weeks he had been abord, the station had grown into him, making him fond of it even though he barely left the infirmary and his quarters. He knew he would like to visit it sometime, as soon as possible, and relieve some days there. Finishing his bags, Damar stood up and left his quarters, walking through the hallways and seeing mostly federation personal and bajorans around, the Klingons and Romulans having left a week ago. He stepped inside the lift towards the promenade, where his troops awaited, and made his way to the meeting point as he had been sent earlier that day.

Upon arriving, he was greeted with cheers of happiness and joy, not only from Cardassians but Federation citizens and Bajorans as well. He almost shushed them all, because he was tired of living this idea of hero, but decided against it and simply nodded to them, approaching his troops and Garak, who was standing in front of them, ready to serve.

"You can relax now. You are already allowed home, and I will not change my mind so easily" he told Garak, who smiled at him and gave him a nod, two things that didn't send any type of trusting feeling to Damar's heart, but that didn't matter. He just wanted to go home.

"Before you go" he heard someone say, and turned around to find the senior crew of Deep Space Nine standing in front of him. The one that was talking was, of course, coronel Kira. "We wanted to thank you again, for helping us save the Alpha Quadrant, and wish our luck to you all."

"That is deeply appreciated, and will not be forgotten. We may have helped to end the war, but we were the ones that began it in the first place, and for that, we hold no honor in the victory" Damar said, nodding to her and the others. "It was a pleasure, and a blessing, to stay with you for these weeks. I hope we will see each other again soon."

"Oh, we will" the doctor said, smirking at Damar. "Because you are actually not getting rid of us so easily."

"Did you really think we would let you leave just like that? Without even helping Cardassia at all?" Dax continued, picking up a bag from the floor that Damar had not noticed. His troops began to whisper behind him as the doctor, the counselor and some others began to walk towards their ship, and Kira gave a step closer to him, a pleased smile on her face.

"I hope you have some spare room in your ship. We don't require much space" she said, and Damar tilted his head, confused and surprised.

"I do not understand" he said, and she nodded, giving him a light tap on the arm.

"I know you don't. Yet. Also, some bajoran troops will be sent to Cardassia to help with the destruction in a day or two, so expect more of us there" she said, and then gave him a kind smile, and a warm look. "We are going to help with everything we can."

"We need your help, it is deeply appreciated. If you are doing this out of your free will, I will not stop you" he said, honestly, and reached out to hold her arm, giving her a smile in return. "I will be forever in dept with you."

"Teach your children the truth, build a new, better Cardassia, and consider you dept payed" she answered, just before they both were caught in a hug, pushing them together and against someone else. They both froze before listening to Ziyal's loud, happy laugh, and she pulled away, letting them pull themselves away as well.

"I'm so excited! I can't wait to go to Cardassia, to help rebuild it! To make it my home!" she said, holding their hands, and Damar smiled at her, nodding slowly.

"You will be able to make it entirely your home, Ziyal."

"And you can come back to Bajor whenever you want. This is also your home" Kira assured, and she smiled at them, before nodding and looking at the airlock.

"Shall we?" she asked, letting them go, grabbing her bags and running to the ship. Damar chuckled as she ran, and Kira smiled at him, shaking her head and pushing him towards the door.

"Come on, time to go" she said, while he walked with her after she pushed him, holding her bags tightly. "Cardassia awaits."

"Yes, yes, I know" he said, smiling him himself and walking towards the airlock, heading towards their ship. "She is so enthusiastic."

"Yes, she probably took that from her dad."

Damar looked at Kira and she looked back at him, both chuckling loudly while they walked towards the airlock, bags in hand, ready for a new type of adventure.

Bajor and Cardassia now, united by the power of the rebellion.

Strange, but they could live with it.

It was a new universe to understand, explore and enjoy. And maybe, maybe Cardassia and Bajor could finally do it, side by side.

The first step had been taken.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are extremely appreciated and loved! Specially because very few people will read this fanfic so anything is good! Please! I beg!


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